Iran 2008

[art600]

When we stopped for lunch, we discovered this interesting bridge.  It appeared to be made from a section of fencing.  I walked across it - not me in the picture - and found it quite strong.

We saw several Ornithogalums.  I also managed to photograph a butterfly - could someone please identify it.

We passed several villages and if we stopped to photograph flowers, someone would appear as if from nowhere to invite us all back for tea.  the Kurdish people are very friendly and hospitable.

[art600]

Next to Marivan a town that is close to the Iraqi border.

We made our way to the 8 - Frit mountain - so called because in a normal season it is possible to find 8 Fritillaria in flower.  It was a Friday and it seemed that everyone from Marivan had also decided to go to the border.  The roads were full of overloaded cars, trucks, motorcycles all intent on finding the best place for a picnic.

When we arrived at the area where we expected to see Fritillarias, it soon became obvious that drought had also affected this area.  Nevertheless we set out to find one of the rare Fritillarias - poluninii.

I scrambled along a narrow path following my pal who had seen the Frit in 2006.  The path was on the side of a hill with a slope that descended into a valley several hundred metres below.  Try as I could to go forward, I froze and had to return on my bottom to more substantial ground.  As I made my way back to our bus to await the return of my more adventurous colleagues, some Iranians from Sanandaj (our next base and at least 2 hours from here) invited me to share their picnic.  I then spent the next hour happily eating and drinking and wondering what I had missed.

The following attempt to capture the atmosphere of the picnic.

[Anthony Darby]

The butterfly is the Niobe Fritillary (Argynnis niobe). It is similar to our High Brown Fritillary (A. adippe), which is a rare, local species found as far north as Cumbria. Both feed on Viola spp. as larvae (caterpillars) and over-winter as fully formed larvae within the egg.

[art600]

Fortunately two of the group had gone in the opposite direction, and after lunch they took us to the site of Fritillaria poluninii.  They had managed to find one plant with 7 flowers, but search as we did we could not find it again (I will post on the Fritillaria thread when I get a copy).
In addition we did find occasional plants of Fritillaria straussii, imperialis and crassifolia.

[art600]

On the road from Marivan to Sanandaj we saw more flowers

The bees on the Allium are Carpenter and Solitary.

0655 shows the hillside where we found the Orabanche, together with seedheads on Frit persica and another that could not be identified.  From the road it did not look possible anything would be found.

[art600]

Just outside the village of Tizh Tizh we found an area with orchids.  Could somebody please identify - I did not record it at the time.

[art600]

I cannot believe that nobody can identify this beautiful orchid.  Would really appreciate your help as I want to give a name to all the plants I saw.

Thanks in anticipation of the usual expertise.

[Anthony Darby]

It seems to be vigorous and if it was a singleton I would have said hybrid. It looks like a Dactaylorhiza sp.

[art600]

Thanks Anthony - there were quite a few in the area.

Especially for you another bug - told this could be sold in Europe for a lot of money.   

[Tony Willis]

Arthur very nice series of photographs of a wonderful trip.

I think your orchid is a dactylorhiza in the urvilleana group which spreads across this area.I have previously tried to identify one I have found in NE Turkey and I see Gerd in his pictures of the same area of NE Turkey has given the name as urvilleana to one he found.I called the one I found this as well. It seems every variant has been named at some time and the keys prove almost impossible but I think this is a reasonable attempt.

[Hans A.]

Wonderful thread, thanks Arthur.
Your Orchid could be Dactylorhiza umbrosa (incarnata relative)- it is said to be widespread in Iran.

[Lesley Cox]

Oh God, the IRISES!!!

If Arthur hadn't sent me a seedy note this morning, I would have missed this thread altogether, one of many that vanished into the ether when my computer misbehaved for 3 weeks. So thank you, thank you, thank you Arthur.

I've found this one of the best threads on the whole Forum with stunning plants, amazing landscapes, superb buildings and structures and interesting people. I've had a real feel for the country, one which is all too much of a mystery to most of us, that impression aggravated by "political" messages from elsewhere. Some good lessons to be learned here about plants and people. I can't thank you enough Arthur.

[Anthony Darby]

Not sure why the bush cricket would be valuable? Perhaps dipped in chocolate? I buy southern European House Crickets @ ~£10/1000 for the chameleons.

[art600]

Not sure why the bush cricket would be valuable? Perhaps dipped in chocolate? I buy southern European House Crickets @ ~£10/1000 for the chameleons.

Unless I have posted the wrong bug, I was informed this was a jewelled beetle and valuable to collectors.  Will check with the source of info and advise further.

[art600]

A few more photos.  This Scilla persica